By Christina Steube

University of Mississippi

The University of Mississippi Museum will host educational summer day camps for children of all ages throughout June and July.

The weeklong camps, broken down into age groups, allow children to learn the ins and outs of the museum and create their own masterpieces inspired by current exhibits.

“Museum camps are a fun and educational way for kids to experience the museum and experiment with a wide range of artistic mediums,” said Emily McCauley, the museum’s curator of education. “Each week, we will explore a new theme, and children can register for one or more weeks of camp. Summers at the museum are a busy, fun time, and we can’t wait to make new discoveries through art this summer.”

Here is the full schedule of camps:

For children entering preschool or kindergarten

•Meet Me at the Museum! Mini Master Summer Camp, 9-11 a.m. July 25-29 — This camp is for children ages 3 to 5. These mini masters will be ready to head back to preschool or kindergarten after making their own artworks inspired by toddler stories and art from the museum’s collections. An adult must accompany all participants, but one guardian can supervise multiple children. Coffee and snacks will be provided for parents or guardians.

For children entering grades 1-5

•Coast to Coast: American Art, 9 a.m.-noon June 13-17 — Children will learn about artists across America, including the West Coast art of Morris Graves, Southern folk art and art haven of New York City. Young artists will get to create their own masterpieces inspired by the work of great American artists.

•Science and Art, 9 a.m.-noon June 20-24 — Young artists will explore art inspired by science and science that becomes art. Participants can explore nature and create their own art inspired by basic biology, physics and chemistry.

•Tribal Art, 9 a.m.-noon June 27-July 1 — Children will view rare artifacts in the museum collection and learn about indigenous cultures from the United States, Panama, Australia and Ghana to inspire their own masterpieces.

•Museum Mania, 9 a.m.-noon July 18-22 — During this camp, children will learn about the different jobs in a museum, as well as the ins and outs of the exhibits. Young artists will get to view the collection in the vault and then build and publicize their own miniature museum.

For children entering grades 6-8

•All About Art: Middle School Edition, 1-4 p.m. July 25-29 — Middle-schoolers will experiment with different types of art, including drawing, illustrating, painting and sculpture after drawing inspiration from UM Museum collections and exhibits.

Each weeklong camp costs $60 for museum members at the Family level and above and $80 for nonmembers. All supplies and snacks are included.

A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. Families can request a scholarship application by contacting McCauley at 662-915-7205 or esdean@olemiss.edu.

Space is limited and registration is online only. Visit www.museum.olemiss.edu/summercamp to register your child for a camp. A computer for registration is available at the museum front desk, if needed.